The Times' ten best buildings of 2017

Towards the end of December The Times newspaper revealed its list of the top ten buildings of 2017. The properties are immensely varied, including museums, a library, the Lego House experience, and housing. There are some incredible high profile, multi-million pound projects on the list. The £1 billion Bloomsberg headquarters in London stands out. Designed by Foster + Partners, the building is thought to be the most environmentally friendly office in the world. Incredibly there is a museum underneath it to celebrate an ancient Roman temple.The second £1 billion project on the list is the new Louvre in Abu Dhabi. The building is the centrepiece of Saadiyat Island and will soon be joined by a number of other high profile museums. It is hoped this will make it a world-renowned cultural hotspot. The Louvre is certainly eye-catching thanks to the detailed roof.The Lego House in Billund, Denmark is a wonderful new experience for the home of one of the most celebrated toy brands in the world. It is designed to replicate a pile of 2x4 bricks and is extremely colourful. Inside there are distinct zones for learning, conference facilities, restaurants, and a 50 foot tree of Lego. Visitors can also climb up the outside of the building to explore different rooftops.Not all of the projects on the top ten are so large in terms of scale and price tag. One of the smallest projects is the new entrance for the Command of Oceans museum at the Historic Dockland in Chatham. It is an eye-catching addition that contrasts with the 18th century mast houses surrounding it. The interior is very Nordic and gives visitors a welcoming space to begin their trip around the property.One of the most incredible things about the top ten is that our own Hidden House earned a place on it. This reaffirms the fact that we are playing our part in producing some of the most iconic residential architecture London is home to. The piece in the Times called it a clever design and a triumph.The last year was an incredible one for architecture and saw the creation of some truly astonishing designs. We look forward to 2018 doing the same and pushing the bounds of design even further.